Never forget those who labor today
At the risk of sounding ungrateful for the wonderful gift of Labor Day, I’d like to ask — am I the only one who doesn’t really know why we celebrate it?
I’ve never bothered to question it. I get a three-day weekend, time with my family and extra time to celebrate BYU’s win against Ole Miss. It’s perfect isn’t it?
However, this year, my curiosity got the best of me, I just had to do a little research.
Though my first resource was Wikipedia, I thought you guys might like a better informant than that, so I asked the experts — the U.S. Department of Labor.
The first Labor Day was 129 years ago on Sept. 5, 1882. It’s here to help us remember those who contributed to making our country what it is, to celebrate those who labored for our freedoms.
It used to be celebrated with a parade — think Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade with giant blow ups of mechanics instead of Big Bird.
That’s something I’d like to see.
Ironically, however, those parades came to an end because of successful labor — the booming industrial centers no longer lent themselves to crazy shows of celebration.
So now we all celebrate in our own, different ways.
My husband and I used the weekend as an opportunity to escape to my parents. We spent it with family, food and football.
Oh yeah, and a crashed helicopter in our back yard.
(Those who were tapped into the news will remember hearing about a helicopter crash in Heber — coming home to what seemed like every emergency vehicle in Wasatch County isn’t an experience I’d like to relive.)
I know others who spent the weekend lounging on the water, determined to take advantage of what could be one of the final warm weekends in Utah.
They ski on the water, skid on tubes or lay back and soak in the fiery rays of the sun.
But there are also those who rest less and celebrate more. Whether at an all-night Labor Day party — created less in honor of Labor Day and more for a chance to mingle — or a late summer wedding, these people felt a need to pay homage to the parades in their own festive way.
Though different by nature, and exempting the family members who worked tirelessly to make the weddings perfect, there’s a common thread in all of our celebrations: we celebrate Labor Day by resting from our labors.
But the harried families of brides and grooms are not alone. There are many others who don’t get a bye on Labor Day weekend.First to my mind are the above average citizens in my neighborhood who, instead of spending the morning with their families, rushed to the crash site to offer aid and expertise.
Thanks to them, the helicopter was shut down, the victims were removed and 911 was called.
I think next of the doctors, nurses and other medical personnel who worked so tirelessly to assure the lives of a helicopter pilot, a mother and her son would be preserved so they could celebrate this holiday next year.
Without their tireless work these souls may have been lost — instead they’ll be home and recovering in no time at all.
To me, Labor Day is more than celebrating the labors of those in the past, though their work did great things for this country.
It’s more about focusing on those who labor today, who keep the nation going, who don’t understand the meaning of three-day weekend.
These are the people we pay tribute to. These are our heroes.
Allie McCoy is the opinion editor for The Daily Universe. This viewpoint represents her opinion and not necessarily that of The Daily Universe, BYU, its administration or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
